Sea Breezes (Lynne)

[Elliot]

Elliot hadn't enjoyed a day this relaxing in over a year.

There wasn't too much to do in the sleepy town of Cianwood, but Elliot didn't mind. After all of the stress and excitement of his life, such a cooldown was almost necessary. And what better place to cool down than a city free from war? Cianwood's truce with Lux had ensured the town was spared, and their distance from Lux's settlements made the townspeople so much more relaxed. They adapted back to pre-war lifestyles, almost as if the war had never even happened.

As someone who had been a bit too close to the war for comfort, this was pretty much therapy for poor Elliot.

He laid down in the soft, warm sand, lulled into a trance by waves gently pounding onto the shore. A few of his Pokemon frolicked in front of him, his Swablu and Chimecho merrily playing tag in the air as his Marshtomp swam at the coastline. His Cacnea watched like a sentry, making sure none of them strayed too far and got hurt. The plant tried to look passive and uncaring, but Elliot knew better by now.

Normally the boy would join right in with his team's fun, but he was enjoying his tranquility a bit too much to go running around right now. It didn't help that his leg, previously mostly stable, had been acting up again ever since the incident at Cherrygrove. Running around and playing just wasn't on the boy's agenda lately.

Instead, he continued basking in the warm sun and listening to the melodies of nature. It was perfectly relaxing . . . maybe even too relaxing. With a yawn the boy slowly began to fall asleep, lulled by gentle breezes and the smell of seawater.

[lynne]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=margin,0,btable][atrb=colspan,2][classy=titlelyrics] AND IT'S A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY[/classy][classy=borderbottom][/classy]

[atrb=vAlign,top] [classy=avatarr]WORDS; ### TAG; Elliot! NOTES; Let's go to the beach, beach.[/classy] by toky ★ of rhi & ote

[atrb=vAlign,top][classy=rppost]Everything smelled like sunscreen and sea. Lynne wasn't so fond of the sunscreen part, but with skin as pasty as her's, it was an absolute necessity if she didn't want to spend the next week walking around with a sunburn that made her look like a Darmanitan. She did, however, love the refreshing bite to the salty air. After a mission that turned out a bit more exciting than she had hoped, she had given herself the day off from any work and was trying to enjoy the beautiful tranquility of Cianwood City. For Lynne, it was difficult to let go, however. Despite the bright rays of sunshine and the fresh ocean spray, Lynne was not playing in the ocean or working on her tan. Instead, the Nox hacker sat with a wide-brimmed hat shading her eyes and a denim shirt covering her shoulders, her feet stuffed deep into the sand with her knees pulled up. Her precious laptop was balanced on her thighs and she was staring at the screen, silent but for the occasional rapid fire of keystrokes. Despite the shade that the large hat provided for her face, the screen of the computer was still barely readable due to the glare of the bright sunshine. Lynne tried to turn up the brightness of the screen, only to find that it was already maxed out. Despite having no particular assignment for the day, Lynne couldn't help herself; even without a mission, she would run her news aggregation programs that she created and browse the different headlines sweeping across the four regions. Despite barely being able to see a thing, she squinted under her huge hat and merely leaned closer to the screen in attempts to see better. The Pokemon she had brought with her, however, seemed to be having a field day. Church and Kaz were playing a rather intense game of tag. Kaz seemed to have the obvious advantage at first, using Agility to pull ahead just when it seemed like the Jolteon would be caught. Within a few minutes, however, Church had figured out how to counteract Kaz's speed by using the Double Team, and suddenly the beach was filled with Raichu copies chasing after one quick Jolteon. Though the game was all in good fun, the two competed on everything - including how long they could avoid the other before being caught. When Kaz came sprinting by Lynne, send a wake of sand towards her, the teen finally looked up from her computer in annoyance. "Hey! Play nicely you two!" Poncho, who had been napping contentedly at Lynne's sand-covered feet, gave a yap of agreement. "Go play over there." Lynne suggested, waving her hand vaguely to her left, her eyes already fixated on her laptop's screen again. The two electric types did not let up on the intensity of their game, but moved to give their now-irritable trainer a wide berth. Kaz had outmaneuvered Church and his Raichu clones, and started sprinting left. He soon had a ten yard lead from the herd of Raichu on his tail, then twenty. He turned around, sticking his tongue out at Church, not looking where he was goin-- The Jolteon suddenly felt himself run into something rather prickly, falling over his own feet and flying across the sand with the suddenly undirected momentum. He yelped, digging his paws into the sand to slow down, sending sand flying everywhere. The Raichu herd, seeing the Cacnea that Kaz had run into, parted around the cactus Pokemon and the beach site of the other trainer. The clones vanished, and the one Raichu remaining, the real Church, strolled up to Kaz and tapped the Jolteon on the head smugly, seemingly guiltless at the disruption they had caused. Lynne heard the distant sound of Kaz yelping and sighed, closing her laptop. Looked like today was a forced break from the familiar glow of her computer screen. She looked across the sand towards where Kaz and Church were, only to discover that they were now bothering some other poor boy down the way. Feeling a flush of embarrassment rush to her cheeks, she quickly got to her feet, Poncho rising with a wide yawn as well. She began running towards her two miscreant electric types, stopping in front of the boy and his Pokemon. "I'm so sorry." Lynne apologized profusely. "When these two play games sometimes things get out of hand." [/classy]

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[newclass=titlelyrics:hover]color: #bc3df2; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass][newclass=borderbottom]margin-top: -07px;border-bottom: 5px solid #000000;[/newclass][newclass=rppost]width: 300px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 15px;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr]height: 80px; width: 80px; transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -o-transition: 0.5s; opacity: 0.0; -moz-opacity: 0.0;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr:hover]opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; height: 80px; width: 80px; overflow: hidden; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass]

[Elliot]

The skies were an intense dogfight. Judas, the Swablu, lurked in a cloud of mist as he tried to find his opponent. The Chimecho, Isaac, was busy gleefully misdirecting him with tons of distracting Signal Beams. The bird looked back and forth, distracted by the constant flashes of color in the sky. He didn't even notice Isaac had sneaked behind him, slapping him with his tail before giggling and flying away. Judas gritted his beak in anger, glaring daggers at the Chimecho and taking off after him.

It was a contest of pure speed from there, Judas constantly trying to sideswipe Isaac but being dodged by its wiry body at the last second. The Chimecho let out a joyful laugh as he dodged tackle after tackle, his Swablu letting out a rueful one in response. The delight of the game was never enough for Judas: when he played, it was to win. The game was quite the beautiful midair spectacle, but with Elliot asleep only his Cacnea, Cain, was still around to watch.

He blinked solemnly with his single eye as he longingly stared after the action. It looked so entertaining . . . but how did he know they were trustworthy? They'd stab him in the back. They always did. Hell, it was a wonder his trainer didn't just cut and run without them after what happened at Cherrygrove.

Maybe things really would be different this time.

Cain sighed, still lost in thought. Maybe he'd participate eventually. But how? Its not like he could fly. He was too fast for the land Pokemon. And even if he could keep up, he was so spiny. They'd just chase him off as he tried to participate, wouldn't they? Maybe he was meant for just sitting on the sidelines and watching, like he was now.

Then Cain's thinking was interrupted by a full-body tackle from a speeding electric type, sending the rather round plant rolling away. His air of debonair was shattered as he flailed in a panic, quite unamused by how silly he must be looking right now. Soon he found himself stuck in the sand, upside down and too stumpy-armed to right himself. He let out a sigh, flailing a bit more before giving up and resigning himself to his fate. A grumpy glare was shot at his Jolteon and Raichu "aggressors," as if to ask if they were happy about what they've done.

Judas and Isaac noticed the disruption first. They swooped down, looking at the two intruders. Judas seemed somewhat irritated at the interruption of their game, while Isaac merely waved his tail cheerfully.

Then Judas smiled cheerfully and tapped the Jolteon with a wing. Oh no! Now he's DOUBLE it!

Judging by the other human being there, it seemed like she wanted to their human. Unfortunately, he was asleep. Fortunately, Isaac was always happy to help! He flew next to Elliot's ear, took in a deep breath, and rang a ringing Heal Bell right next to the poor kid. He let out a slight noise of surprise as he darted awake, wide-eyed from surprise. The Chimecho let out a bright smile and pointed to the boy, as if to say "he's awake now!"

Elliot himself looked up at the girl sheepishly. How long was she there? Did she want something? He smiled somewhat shyly, saying, "Oh, hi there! Dozed off there for a bit, sorry.

My name's Elliot. What's yours?"

[lynne]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=margin,0,btable][atrb=colspan,2][classy=titlelyrics] AND IT'S A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY[/classy][classy=borderbottom][/classy]

[atrb=vAlign,top] [classy=avatarr]WORDS; ### TAG; Elliot! NOTES; Let's go to the beach, beach.[/classy] by toky ★ of rhi & ote

[atrb=vAlign,top][classy=rppost]When the boy didn't respond, Lynne wondered whether he was perhaps so annoyed he couldn't even speak. She waited a moment, shuffling awkwardly from foot to foot, before the boy's Chimeco noticed her intentions and flew down to his side, waking him up with a loud ring. Now he was awake. Lynne winced - not only had her Pokemon had barged onto their patch of sand, but she had managed to make things worse by ruining his nap. He seemed very amiable for someone who had just woken, however. In fact, he was apologizing for dozing off! Poncho shuffled forward, sniffing the other trainer's feet curiously as Elliot spoke before being scooped off his feet and held firmly in Lynne's arms. Lots of people were not big on dogs, no need to further disturb the boy. "Oh, no, not a problem. My Pokemon were just, uh," Lynne found herself caught off guard a bit, unsure whether she should point out how disruptive her Pokemons' game of tag had become if he had managed to sleep through it. Maybe just change the subject? "Well. Anyways." Yeah. Definitely just change the subject. "I'm Lynne." she said, thinking this was the moment for a handshake or something, but her arms were currently occupied with a Poochyena. She opted for a little awkward wave. Now what? Meanwhile, Kaz had finally gotten on his four paws again. He gave his spiked coat a good thorough shake, sending sand everywhere. Church cried out in protest, sheltering behind Lynne's legs. Kaz looked up at the Swablu who had tapped him on the head, wondering whether the gesture was intentional. Did they want to play too? Still a bit peeved at Church, the Jolteon deliberately turned his back on the Raichu and, with his tail waving slightly back and forth, began to jump in the air to try to tag one of Elliot's airborne Pokemon. Normally his powerful hind legs and built-for-speed body could allow him to jump quite well - in the sand, however, he found himself exerting twice the effort to get half as far off the ground. Lynne watched the Jolteon for a moment, glad that Elliot's Pokemon would be able to tucker out the energetic creature. Church, noting that he had been rather deliberately excluded from the new game, made a face at the Jolteon's back. Then, noticing the Cacnea giving him the stink eye, the electric rodent walked towards the Pokemon and offered him a paw - a truce of sorts. "Anyways, uh, sorry to bother you. We were over there, but..." Lynne was ready to excuse herself and walk briskly back to their patch of beach, returning to the comforting familiarity of her laptop. She forced herself to bite back the words, however. This Elliot person seemed friendly enough, and it had been several days since she had had a real, genuine conversation with someone that wasn't just business or a bundle of lies. As much as it made her heart thump in her chest and her throat tighten with anxiety, she wanted to talk to this guy, to people in general. She resolved herself to at least trying to make conversation - if he seemed annoyed, she'd scamper back to the internet quickly enough anyhow. Noticing that she was blocking his view of the sun, standing over him like that, she moved a little to the side and plopped down on the soft sand, releasing Poncho from her grip. Now what? "So... nice day?" The weather? Really? Well, it was safe and normal enough. At the very least, he wouldn't take her for some total weirdo. [/classy]

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[newclass=titlelyrics:hover]color: #bc3df2; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass][newclass=borderbottom]margin-top: -07px;border-bottom: 5px solid #000000;[/newclass][newclass=rppost]width: 300px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 15px;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr]height: 80px; width: 80px; transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -o-transition: 0.5s; opacity: 0.0; -moz-opacity: 0.0;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr:hover]opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; height: 80px; width: 80px; overflow: hidden; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass]

[Elliot]

And so the chase was on!

Judas stuck out a wing and let out an innocent whistle, propelling him back while slightly shoving Isaac forward. The Chimecho gently bumped into the Jolteon's leg, letting out a mock gasp of shock and horror. Now he was It! He flew after the Jolteon, tail swaying as he tried to get close and tap him once more. As he hovered he played a soothing sound with his Heal Bell, hoping to lull the Jolteon in a calm so he wouldn't be so fast. Judas merely stayed away from the group, breathing out another dense cloud of Mist to hide within.

Cain looked at the Raichu as he approached, letting out a bit of a weary sigh . . . only to relax a little when the electric rodent stuck out a paw. For a while he looked at it, unsure what to do, before finally taking it and gingerly shaking it with one of his spiny nubs. When the handshake was over he promptly resumed trying to pull his head out of the sand, futilely pawing at the ground beneath him. If only he had actual fingers and not these cruddy little nubs!

"Hm? Oh, definitely! Don't usually see days like this outside of Hoenn, after all." He smiled at the new arrival, easing into this conversation much easier than she was. However, Elliot knew how it felt to be shy and awkward, especially when meeting others for the first time. For this reason he made sure to be at his friendliest. He knew it'd suck if he was in the same situation, after all. "You from around here?" he asked. "Or are you on vacation for a bit like I am?"

Then from the waters his Marshtomp, Magdalene, emerged. She had grown tired of swimming, it seemed, and now sat down next to hear trainer to bask in the warm sun. As she relaxed, however, she shot Lynne a curious look. The Marshtomp had never seen this human around before: was she new?

[lynne]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=margin,0,btable][atrb=colspan,2][classy=titlelyrics] AND IT'S A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY[/classy][classy=borderbottom][/classy]

[atrb=vAlign,top] [classy=avatarr]WORDS; ### TAG; Elliot! NOTES; Let's go to the beach, beach.[/classy] by toky ★ of rhi & ote

[atrb=vAlign,top][classy=rppost] Kaz heard the sounds of a Heal Bell behind him, but found himself not soothed by the sound but rather panicked. That Chimeco could move - it was closer on his tail than he had thought. He made a tight turn, noticing the cloud of mist that Judas had created and making a beeline for it. If it could hide the Swablu, it could hide him too - though it could get complicated trying to determine who had tagged who... Church was glad the Cacnea accepted his handshake, but couldn't help laughing at Cain's predicament. It wasn't cruel, though a little unrestrained - he just found the predicament naturally funny. After a moment or two, however, he moved to help the Cacnea dig himself out. Minus a chuckle or two, he kept himself focused on the job at hand, using his small paws and powerful tail to help out the overturned cactus Pokemon. *** Oh? From his comments about Hoenn, Lynne realized that this boy was probably no native of Cianwood either. The suspicion was only verified when he asked whether she, too, was vacationing. There was a certain amount of freedom, Lynne realized, that came with talking to a stranger. You could spill your whole life story, share a secret, just plain talk about yourself, and part ways at the end of the day with the comforting knowledge that you would never have to see them again. No endlessly replaying conversations in your head and wishing they had gone differently, as she had so often done. Strangers, it seemed, could sometimes be the best kind of people to talk to. Well, maybe not all the time. Times were different now. Secrets were traded with blood and gold, and strangers were, in many places, foe until proven friend. Nevertheless, Lynne trusted Elliot instinctively - though perhaps not wisely. She would do well to remember that not every city was like Cianwood, which had avoided the touch of war and lived carefree but naive to the atrocities committed. It was hard to imagine, however, that Elliot could ever be considered a foe - even if children much younger than him had probably wrecked lives by acting as spies for Lux. "No, I'm not from around here." Lynne admitted, watching the waves crash along the shore. "I'm from Celadon, but since I left I haven't looked back. Sort of drifting, I go where I'm needed." She looked over at him. "So... You from Hoenn, then? Haven't been there much myself." She had watched from her computer screen, however, as the headlines screamed out about the rising casualty count, vicious warfare, and battle upon battle - only to fall oddly silent when Nox's war machine took a break in the recent months. It made her stomach turn a bit to think about the peace being paved with a road of blood. In a little more subdued of a tone, she couldn't help but ask, "Do you think things are... better there now?" [/classy]

[newclass=titlelyrics]text-align: right; padding-right: 0px; font-family: amatic sc; font-size: 35px; text-transform: uppercase;[/newclass]
[newclass=titlelyrics:hover]color: #bc3df2; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass][newclass=borderbottom]margin-top: -07px;border-bottom: 5px solid #000000;[/newclass][newclass=rppost]width: 300px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 15px;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr]height: 80px; width: 80px; transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -o-transition: 0.5s; opacity: 0.0; -moz-opacity: 0.0;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr:hover]opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; height: 80px; width: 80px; overflow: hidden; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass]

[Elliot]

Judas squawked in irritation as the Jolteon leaped into his shelter. That was his hiding trick, not for anybody else! In a moment of spitefulness he began flapping his wings rapidly, trying to dispel the mist while simultaneously getting a head start on escaping from Isaac. Unfortunately, such a plan wasn't about to pay off. By the time Judas began flying backwards, Isaac has sneaked behind him and booped him right on the beak.

The irritated bird sighed as Judas then sped off, then turned to the Jolteon next to him and let out a sinister grin. In a flash of cotton spores he dashed off, aiming to tag the poor electric critter.

Cain, meanwhile, was having a much more relaxed time. With the help of his new Raichu acquaintance, the cactus had quickly gone from stuck in the sand to freed. He pawed the ground with his nubby arms, using them to roll himself right-side up once more. By the time he was righted once more he let out a sigh of relief, the usual hardness in his glare gone. Instead it was replaced with . . . gratefulness? Even his dotted face, usually the picture of stoicness, seemed somewhat lightened compaedto before.

---

"You too, huh?" the boy asked when hearing that Lynne was also a drifter. "I live in Unova, but Hoenn's always been my real home. Lately, though, I've just been troubling wherever I can." He kept the same placid smile on his face as before . . . until what Lynne asked next, of course.

It was as if he had completely changed with that question. The grin on his face fell immediately, being replaced with a look of concern and fear. For the most part this change was subtle, but the slight trembling of his hands and occasional twitch in his right eye told Lynne everything she needed to know.

"Doubt it," he replied, the innocence in his voice becoming caked with a new bitterness. "Each day's getting worse and worse. Even if the fighting's stopped for a bit, the war's still raging as bad as ever. But hey, its just as bad everywhere else, right?" The boy let out a rueful laugh that didn't seem to fit him a bit, the faintest hint of an anguished cry mixed in with it. When it subsided there was a pained look in his eyes, and his Marshtomp scooted closer to him as if ready to comfort him at a moment's notice.

How strange.

[lynne]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=margin,0,btable][atrb=colspan,2][classy=titlelyrics] AND IT'S A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY[/classy][classy=borderbottom][/classy]

[atrb=vAlign,top] [classy=avatarr]WORDS; ### TAG; Elliot! NOTES; Let's go to the beach, beach.[/classy] by toky ★ of rhi & ote

[atrb=vAlign,top][classy=rppost]Kaz had only a moment to enjoy the satisfaction of avoiding the Chimeco's touch before the soft feeling of cotton spores made his legs feel like lead, and he found himself slowing down. It took only a few moments for the Swablu to catch up and brush by. Kaz gave a low growl of irritation, head turning left and right to try to determine which airborne player would be easiest to catch. His eyes eventually settled on Church and Cain, however. Though he initially had left the Raichu out of the game, he couldn't have himself seen struggling to catch two little Pokemon - instead, he decided to add some new blood into the mix. Church noticed that the Cacnea was looking rather grateful, and brushed off the gratitude with a lazy flick of his tail. He suddenly saw a blur of yellow to his right, however, and turned a little to see that Kaz was running towards the two of them. Not sure whether it was a game or Kaz being a bit of a bully, Church decided to play it safe and skedaddled away from the Cacnea and the trajectory of the Jolteon, looking behind him to see Kaz reaching out a paw in attempts to tag Cain. Lynne noticed a change come over Elliot almost at once with her question. The war was a trigger for so many people - it was downright insensitive to have not predicted this. Lynne wanted to console him, take away the heaviness seeming to weigh on his shoulders and banish the look in his eyes, but felt crippled by a fear of awkwardness. She had just met this kid, but now things had already gotten somewhat personal. Poncho, however, seemed to have no reservations about the fact that Elliot was a virtual stranger - sensing his distress, the small black canine padded forward and flopped down on the sand next to him, resting his furry head on Elliot's knee. "Yeah, guess you're right." she admitted, scratching the back of her head uncomfortably. When it came down to it, Lynne didn't like thinking too hard about the longevity of the war. Nor did she like to think about the fact that the information she dug up on troop movements or space ships or god knows what else was probably being used to plot and, eventually, even to kill. Worst of all, perhaps, was the fact that she craved the sense of belonging her job brought her; a big part of her needed to feel like she was contributing, even if her contributions only helped to oil the war machine. It was something she had instead banished to the back of her brain, occasionally rising up to pick at her conscious. "It's nice to come here and imagine that there never was a war. I've come out here before..." Lynne felt a bit reserved, even embarrassed, but continued her thought. "...to sometimes fantasize about where I'd be if this war had never happened." It was a tricky thing to try to imagine. She had still broken the law, but maybe if it hadn't been under the Lux regime she would have been let off - she wasn't more than a kid then, a kid who had been peer pressured into something stupid. She also, though she left this particular scenario unsaid, wondered what would have happened if she hadn't run that day. Perhaps the Lux agents that came to her school would have locked her up - or, perhaps, they would have seen potential. Change a few details in her past, and she could very well be gathering information for Lux instead of Nox. It was a hard truth to swallow. "P-probably just in school. Already thinking about university. Studying the behavioral tendencies of Porygon or somethin." she offered, listing a few of her own predictions for how fate could have turned out differently. Strangely enough, however, she did not feel any longing for this alternate reality. It felt fake and unrealistic, as if the girl could no longer imagine the world without this war... [/classy]

[newclass=titlelyrics]text-align: right; padding-right: 0px; font-family: amatic sc; font-size: 35px; text-transform: uppercase;[/newclass]
[newclass=titlelyrics:hover]color: #bc3df2; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass][newclass=borderbottom]margin-top: -07px;border-bottom: 5px solid #000000;[/newclass][newclass=rppost]width: 300px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 15px;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr]height: 80px; width: 80px; transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -o-transition: 0.5s; opacity: 0.0; -moz-opacity: 0.0;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr:hover]opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; height: 80px; width: 80px; overflow: hidden; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass]

[Elliot]

Cain jumped up a little in surprise as he was tagged, stiff and unsure from surprise. What happened? Did he just get included? For a while he remained stuck in place, trying to process what happened. Then he finally began to move, shyly and unsurely reaching toward Church to try and tap him. That's how Tag works, right?

Judas and Isaac watched the new challenger trying to adapt to the game, laughing a bit. Isaac fired Signal Beams at the sand to try and distract the more ground-bound competitors, while Judas tauntingly whistled to try and get their attention. For now they were content to sit there, cheering and heckling this ground game. Personally, they preferred the air.

---

The weary sorrow in Elliot's eyes subsided a little as the Poochyena approached him. Either he was calmed by the Pokemon's attempt to help, or he was reminded that others were present. Such grief was to be concealed rather than shown off, after all. He gently patted the little hyena on the head, the trembling in his hands slowly coming to a stop. If one had seen him now, they probably wouldn't have even realized he had a little outburst seconds earlier.

". . . Heh. You're not the only one here for that," the boy replied, weakly smiling. West Johto was pretty much the pre-war life captured in a picture. In an age where even Unova was arming and industrializing, being able to just relax by the coast and forget everything was a gift from Arceus itself. It was one of the best parts of the Johto Armistice, Elliot felt, with the lack of bloodshed definitely being another huge plus. He let out a small sigh, cool breezes gently blowing through his hair as if the beach was sighing with him.

"I'm not sure where I'd be if not for the war, really," he added after much thought. "Probably just be back at home in Unova with my mom. Nice, safe . . . boring. Maybe without this war things would be better for my dad, though . . . "

The boy's voice trailed off, taking on a distinct tone of worry at mention of his father.

[lynne]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=margin,0,btable][atrb=colspan,2][classy=titlelyrics] AND IT'S A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY[/classy][classy=borderbottom][/classy]

[atrb=vAlign,top] [classy=avatarr]WORDS; ### TAG; Elliot! NOTES; Let's go to the beach, beach.[/classy] by toky ★ of rhi & ote

[atrb=vAlign,top][classy=rppost]Church's ears twitched in curiosity as the Cacnea seemed to struggle to grasp the basic premise of their game of tag. Moving at that speed, Cain wasn't gonna catch anyone, least of all the arrogant yet nimble Raichu. Filled with confidence, the Raichu did not run flat-out run away from the Cacnea. Instead, he danced backwards lightly, positioning himself just out of reach of the Cacnea's arm. This may have worked for some time, if Kaz had not intervened. He silently slipped himself behind the Raichu, tripping him up with a quick sweep of the tail. The Raichu, feeling himself tagged by the Cacnea, turned around growling irritably. He threw himself at the Jolteon, but didn't stop when he made contact. The two tumbled over each other, snapping at each others' ears and wrestling in a not-so-friendly fashion, a few sparks flying out in every direction. "Guys!" Lynne called out, her voice sharp and irritated. Kaz rolled over one more time, pinning the Raichu beneath him. Ears flattened to his head, Kaz leaned down and growled, nearly nose-to-nose with the Raichu. After a moment, he let the electric mouse up and padded away. The Jolteon looked towards each of Elliot's Pokemon, nodding towards the water and tilting his head. Anyone up for a swim? Kaz padded towards the waterline, tenderly picking up his paws as the wet sand squished beneath his feet. Church, on the other hand, lay himself out flat on the sand, tucking his paws behind his head. Though the electric mouse couldn't really work on his tan, he did enjoy letting the sun's rays warm his fur without further roughhousing. ***** Hm, made sense. It wasn't as if Cianwood had any other tourist attractions - and if Elliot had been wrapped up in the war, it made sense that he would also seek an escape. Funny how it seemed to make her feel like she knew Elliot better, even when they had only exchanged a few words. There was, at the very least, a mutual emotional understanding. At his second comment, however, Lynne found herself wondering how Elliot's dad fit into the picture. It felt strictly inappropriate to ask - even one as socially awkward as Lynne could see that - but she couldn't help but feel her curiosity piqued. It also brought up another thought that bounced around her head and kept her up until the wee hours of the morning - her own parents. Though she had essentially learned to be separated from her parents from age ten when she started boarding school, there was a large difference between only going home for the holidays and having no idea how your parents were doing or where they could be. "I haven't talked to my own parents in almost a year." she confessed, lowering her voice a bit as though there were other people on the beach who would overhear her. "Ever since they, er, Lux... purged... Celadon, I've wondered what happened to them. The trailer park I grew up in was just on the outskirts, but if they really shut people out..." she sighed, running her hands through her hair and feeling stress lines appear on her forehead. "I feel like trying to reach out to them would only make things worse, for everyone." Either things would get emotionally tangled, or somewhere out there a Lux agent was still waiting for a lead on the hacking student who had disappeared from Kanto. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to ramble about myself." she smoothed out her face and smiled, though it was more strained than light-hearted now. "Got to make time to get out to Kanto one of these days..." Time, a good disguise, and some solid fake ID... [/classy]

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[newclass=titlelyrics:hover]color: #bc3df2; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass][newclass=borderbottom]margin-top: -07px;border-bottom: 5px solid #000000;[/newclass][newclass=rppost]width: 300px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 15px;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr]height: 80px; width: 80px; transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -o-transition: 0.5s; opacity: 0.0; -moz-opacity: 0.0;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr:hover]opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; height: 80px; width: 80px; overflow: hidden; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass]

[Elliot]

The Cacnea leaped back in surprise as his two new friends tripped each other and began fighting. He let out a sigh of irritation as he watched, Judas perching on top of his head. The Swablu began laughing like crazy, flailing his wings in a panic as he tried to keep his balance on the cactus' spines. Cain merely sighed once more, gently battling the Swablu off of his head. And by gently I mean "whacked hard enough to send sprawling into the air one more." The bird let out an irritated squawk but did nothing to repay the insult, instead watching the fight once more.

Isaac, on the other hand, wasn't too happy. He zoomed up to the Jolteon and Raichu, a sorrowful look on his face as he pleaded with the two of them to stop fighting. Just for good measure he also tagged each one with a Heal Pulse, hoping to patch up any injuries they had from their scrap.

Then they stopped fighting and started swimming, so that was fun! Judas perched on a rock in the sand to relax and let himself relax, while Isaac immediately plunged in the ocean. Cain merely waited at the edge of the water, occasionally dipping a nub in tentatively. Once more he was stuck in the cactus' dilemma.

Elliot, meanwhile, was not too happy to hear about Lynne's dilemma. As somebody who had only seen just his father for the first time in almost ten years, he knew the pain one would feel being separated for so long. Especially in an incident such as the one she had been through. He frowned slightly, going quiet as he thought on his new friend's predicament. Then after a while he started to smile, the flash of a new idea apparent in his eyes.

"Maybe I can be a bit of a help there . . . " he offered, voice trailing off as he continued trying to plot his idea.

[lynne]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=margin,0,btable][atrb=colspan,2][classy=titlelyrics] AND IT'S A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY[/classy][classy=borderbottom][/classy]

[atrb=vAlign,top] [classy=avatarr]WORDS; ### TAG; Elliot! NOTES; Let's go to the beach, beach.[/classy] by toky ★ of rhi & ote

[atrb=vAlign,top][classy=rppost]Church cracked one eye open, noticing the Cacnea at the shore. Huh, what a wallflower. The Raichu tried to close his eyes and dismiss the Cacnea's hesitations and awkwardness as none of his concern - Church had never been known as the most thoughtful of Lynne's Pokemon (that particular title went to Digits, after all). Nevertheless, he couldn't help but feel that when he and Kaz started fighting and broke up the game of tag that they had ruined Cain's chance to join in, for the cactus had just started to be included. He opened his eyes again, stretching his paws over his head and slowly, laboriously getting to his feet. Lynne and the rest o' those Pokemon had no idea what a strapping gentlemanly mouse they had on their hands, helping this poor Cacnea feel welcome. Church strolled forward, joining the Cacnea at the water's edge and plopping down by his side. He considered trying to negotiate with the Cacnea to get him to go in the water. He shrugged off that idea lazily, finding it to be too much work. Nah, he'd go for the ... direct route. Keeping his gaze averted, he swung his whipcord tail around to the Cacnea's back. Waiting a moment to make sure Cain hadn't noticed, the Raichu then used his tail to push against the Cacnea's back, hoping to force it into the water. Church, who had been averting his eyes nonchalantly before, then looked towards the Cacnea with mirthful delight lighting up his face. Meanwhile, Kaz had finally gotten his feet wet. His spiky fur, which normally made him look much bigger than he actually was, now clung to his rather thin frame. Despite constantly wanting to act like the touch guy, he sure didn't look it now. The Jolteon took a few moments to acclimate, looking with wonder at how the Chimeco could simply dive right in. Wasn't it cold? As he watched the Chimeco play, he remembered the heal pulses the Pokemon had used in its attempts to stop the fight between Church and himself. While Kaz wouldn't show gratitude - that would be a sign of weakness - he would, he decided, try to brighten the little bell Pokemon's day. He swam forward in a sort of doggie paddle, moving towards the shallower water so he could stand. When he was close enough to the Chimeco, he used one paw to send a wave of water towards the small Pokemon. A new game! **** "Oh?' Lynne had always struggled to reach out for help. She hadn't made many friends during her childhood years, and even those she had made she always doubted the legitimacy of - her social anxiety constantly made her feel like she was imposing on their time or energy, even with things as simple as asking them if they wanted to hang out. Asking someone for help would most definitely make her more of a burden to them than she already thought she was... ...But now she hadn't seen her parents in almost a year, and this boy was basically offering to help. There was no way she was turning that offer down. "You could? W-would you? How?" she tried not to sound pathetically hopeful or interested or desperate. There was an attempt. [/classy]

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[newclass=titlelyrics:hover]color: #bc3df2; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass][newclass=borderbottom]margin-top: -07px;border-bottom: 5px solid #000000;[/newclass][newclass=rppost]width: 300px; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 15px;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr]height: 80px; width: 80px; transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -o-transition: 0.5s; opacity: 0.0; -moz-opacity: 0.0;[/newclass][newclass=avatarr:hover]opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 09px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; padding: 10px; height: 80px; width: 80px; overflow: hidden; transition: 0.7s; -moz-transition: 0.7s; -webkit-transition: 0.7s; -o-transition: 0.7s;[/newclass]

[Elliot]

Poke! Before Cain even knew what was going on, he was sent tumbling right into the water.

At first the cactus braced himself for impact, folding his arms and squeezing his eye shut. He didn't want salt water in his eyes, after all, and truth be told he had never swam before. The poor thing didn't even know what to expect, and immediately prepared for the worst. Thankfully, his buoyant body caused him to float rather than sink. For a while he continued to fold up for safety, waiting for an impact that would never come.

Eventually he finally worked up the courage to open up his eye, noticing he was completely fine. He let out a small cheer of delight, bobbing all by his lonesome for a few moments as he tried to process what to do next. Maybe swim? He slowly and unsurely began paddling himself forward, moving his nubby hands like windmills and slowly propelling himself forward.  If not for his buoyancy, he would probably have no idea how to swim whatsoever.

Isaac, on the other hand, was a natural.  His large tail paddled like that of a speedboat, allowing the tiny ball to cruise through the waves at great speed.  Of course, he had to swim on his back to prevent himself from drowning.  It was hard not to when you were literally just a ball with a tail!  Of course, soon he had to stop swimming to see what.  He cheerfully waved, and then was greeted by a different kind of wave!  The Chimecho watched in wonder for a few seconds before giggling, lifting his tail and slapping out a wave of his own.  This was fun!

~~~~

Elliot looked up at Lynne, grinning a bit.  He may have been the son of a leader, but he was relatively invisible.  The magnitude of the cover-ups after Goldenrod made sure he was right off the grid. Just in case, though, he had decided to work quite a bit on slipping places where he wasn't exactly wanted.  Disguises, paper forgery . . . anything was worth avoiding being kidnapped and subjected to such cruelties a second time.

" 'Course I would!  Just tell me what you need and I'll see if I can pull a few strings."

[lynne]

The water was cool, the sun was warm.
You wouldn't think Kaz and Church were electric types from the way they took to the water. It was sometimes hard to be a Pokemon accompanying Lynne, who liked to spend most of her time indoors. It was no problem for her collection of man-made creatures, but for Kaz and Church, it was the sea breeze that could make them feel alive. Had they not accidentally bumped into Elliot, Lynne would have probably relocated to the Pokemon Center by now for the stronger internet connection and artificial, screen-friendly lighting. Church didn't have much a heavy conscious, and he certainly didn't have any lingering guilt for accidentally forcing their encounter. In fact, he was taking notes - it seemed that perhaps "accidentally" forcing his trainer into social situations could reap some benefits... The boy's Pokemon weren't too bad of company either, even if the cactus was a little shy and awkward.

***

Lynne suddenly seemed to truly understand the phrase "happy to help." Elliot's expression formed a perfectly genuine smile on it that lit up his whole face. A more jaded part of Lynne wondered why Elliot would take so much pleasure in helping a near-stranger, but she shook away the negativity. Lynne did not think herself a selfless person; selfless people were often also brave for the sake of others, and Lynne was nowhere near brave. This Elliot fellow, though he looked barely if any older than Lynne herself, seemed to embody both characteristics. She found herself smiling back at him, the gesture rather infectious. It was easy to forget that she had no idea where her parents were, or if they were alive, or if they would want to see her - it was easy to believe everything would turn out okay, simply because someone was actually willing to help.

She tilted her head a little, beginning to think for the first time how she would realistically find her parents. Breaking into any Lux network to search an citizen database would be an easy way to get herself - and her folks - some unwanted attention. No, it would be best to stay away from the Lux networks if she planned on entering deep Lux territory. That would mean that she'd need to be able to blend as a citizen. And a reason why why, as a sixteen year old child who should still be in school, she was prowling around the streets looking for some sign of her folks.

"An ID and some papers, for sure." she rattled off, starting with the most obvious. "Then... uh... I need to find out what happened to the trailer park where I grew up. It was just outside Celadon, but I get the feeling..." No, don't worry, don't hesitate to say what she was only too afraid to admit was probably true. "I get the feeling they're in Saffron. Which means... weapons or immunity from the gang, or both. I've heard there are more slums than skyscrapers there now--" she could feel her resolve failing as the magnitude of her task gained a little perspective. "S-so I think I'd also need... time. And, uh, a lead. It's a... really big city."

Her resolve was most certainly faltering. IF her parents were alive, IF they were in Saffron, IF she had time to search every violence-infested slum... The number of variables added up to one helluva job. The only thin silver lining in the storm cloud seemed to be that if her parents had joined the disorganized chaos of Saffron, it would have make it harder for other people to find them. People who took issue with a kid breaking into a high-security lab at Mount Moon or didn't quite enjoy the bootleg broadcasts she had rigged up anywhere where they could find a signal. The war and her circumstantial allegiance and actions seemed to be weaving a web, making her wonder if she'd ever see her parents again. Maybe after the war was over, if it ever ended?

Assuming no one else found them first.

[Elliot]

Despite being a psychic type, little Isaac took to the water wonderfully. His tail spun like a motor as he paddled through the seas, giggling cheerfully and occasionally splashing those he passed. He was so thankful for Team Lynne showing up: they were much more fun than shy old Cain and the water-hating Judas. Maggie was always willing to play along, but she was also busy napping. If it wasn't for the nice girl and her electric types showing up, he would've had to go home ages ago. And on a nice day like this that would've been so boooooring! But instead he had new friends and a really cool day. Wouldn't it be nice if he could see them all the time!?

Cain, meanwhile, was starting to feel a little better about himself. His seedy mouth twisted into a slight grin as he bobbed along with the waves. Occasionally he windmilled his arms to splash slightly, making little waves that he longingly stared after. One the shore Judas watched him, shaking his tiny blue head and making disapproved clicking noises with his beak. Occasionally he laid back in the sand to sun himself, gently fanning himself with a massive, cloudy wing. Other than the noise pollution from the new rabble, this was a perfect rest. The Swablu wouldn't be opposed to leaving, though, if only to get away from the crowds.

~~~~

There was a slight spark in Elliot's eyes when Saffron City was mentioned. Whether he was happy or distressed by the news was unclear, but either way his brow folded in concentration. For a while he went quiet, before eventually turning to look up at Lynne. His previous cheery demeanor was gone, replaced with quite the serious look.

"Well, we're not going to have to worry about papers," Elliot replied. "Saffron's been total chaos lately. Doubt there are even any Lux border patrol still hanging around. No, I don't think Lux'll give us much trouble at all . . .

It'll be watching our own backs we have to worry about."

Elliot had briefly checked in on Saffron from nearby Celadon City, back when he was taking a sabbatical in the Kanto region. If Lux needed any propaganda for why they should have total control of a town, Saffron was the perfect site for it. Gangs running rampant. All sorts of destruction and vandalism. The best homes all seized by force, most of the population shunted into little shanties because they were too weak to fight back. It was downright awful, and reminded Elliot way too much of the more destroyed areas of Hoenn.

"Getting a lead's the best idea. It's a madhouse in there, and navigating it can get pretty bad. Especially after dark. You're gonna have to keep your head down, too. Don't let any of 'em think you're looking for a fight, or you have anything worth taking."

A particularly annoying memory: some thug stealing his walking stick. That was one hell of a situation to sort out, and way more battling than Elliot had ever wanted to partake in. " 'Course, it's not too bad if you've got someone travelling with you. Safety in numbers is pretty much law over there.

Got any plans for what you'll do when you find your parents?"